Dr Kaicun Zhao 趙凱存博士

Information

Date

18 November 2013

Interviewed by

Han Tao

Language

English

Audio Edited by

Ben Fielden

Venue

Middlesex University (Hendon Campus)

Dr Kaicun Zhao, a Senior Lecturer, is currently the programme leader of the Traditional Chinese Medicine programme at Middlesex University. He is the president of the Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture, the largest professional body in Chinese medicine and acupuncture in the UK.

Dr Zhao graduated with a Medical Bachelor's Degree in Chinese herbal medicine from Beijing University of Chinese Medicine in 1981. Following graduation, he studied clinical pharmacology and graduated with a Master's of Medicine Degree from Peking Union Medical College. In 1988, he moved to the UK for further studies supported by a Royal Fellowship awarded by the Royal Society. In 1994, he graduated and gained his PhD degree in clinical pharmacology from the Royal Postgraduate Medical School, University of London.

For many years, Dr Zhao has been working in the clinical pharmacology and toxicology studies of natural products including Chinese herbal medicines. He was involved in the 1st phase clinical trial studies of Qinghaosu, an anti-malarial component of Chinese medicinal herb Qinghao. The work was awarded the Prize for Progress in Science and Technology by the Ministry of Public Health of China. Following his move to the UK, Dr Zhao continued to focus on research studies in clinical pharmacology and toxicology of natural products including biological metabolism, anti-oxidation and drug interactions. He has worked as research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Imperial College and King's College London. He has published more than 40 research papers in peer reviewed scientific journals and as a co-author, Dr Zhao was also involved in several Clinical pharmacology and Chinese medicine related books.

Dr Zhao has been actively involved in the promotion of the development of Chinese medicine in the UK. He is also active in clinical practice while he is working in teaching and research of Chinese medicine. Since elected as an executive member of the council of the Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture UK in 2004, he has worked as the chair of the public affairs and professional conduct committees of the organisation respectively. He was elected as vice president of the organisation in 2008 and then as the president in 2012. For many years, Dr Zhao has made a great commitment to promote the statutory regulation of Chinese medicine practitioner in the UK. As the leader of the largest professional body of Chinese medicine, he has led the organisation though self-regulation to promote the professional development of the Chinese medicine practitioners and to improve the standard of services provided by practitioners. Meanwhile, he has led the organisation through communication and negotiations with the UK government and related organisations, sometime using legal actions, to protect the interests of the Chinese.